COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[Stanley]

Does this mean that buying books and having them on the shelf is safer than Kindle etc.??

[LizG]

Yep; you can read it as many times as you like, where ever you like and lend to everyone. I'm going to finish this in the books thread.

[Tizer]

Liz, Those who run and make money from the digital world often like to tell us how they are increasing our freedom, how liberal they are etc etc but the reality is that they use their digital trickery to limit what we can do and to suit them and their profits.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More trouble...
From Metro, 2nd June 2014
Two weeks to save your computer from major cyber attack
http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/02/two-weeks ... k-4747797/

[Stanley]

And I suppose that includes the 'security providers'. Their business is enhanced by insecurity and reports like this must be manna from heaven.

[Tripps]

There is something very strange about this latest attempt to frighten us. On each interview I've seen the same expert has responded, and advised us all to go to an organisation called Get Safe Online. They didn't even give the usual caveat "other protection sites are available". The site of course crashed under pressure of demand, but seems to be back on now.

The story seems to be that this very bad Russian man has been pillaging the internet for ages, and making billions of pounds, but the good guys have now stopped him. However they say it will only take two weeks for him to be up to mischief again - so we must go to get safe online.
I've looked at the site briefly, and find that it seems to run by the Government, but in close association with many private companies - including Microsoft. Makes me wonder why they didn't warn us when he was 'at it' , rather than now when they have stopped him.

I have decided not to worry about it at all, and take no action. Mr Gates will keep me safe - and of course, I won't open any attachments on strange emails.

[Tizer]

As well as helping sell computer security products and services, the story helps sell newspapers too!

[Pluggy]

Its the crypto-locker exploit, been around a while. Its really insideous because it encrypts all your user files, so even when you've got rid of it, your files are still encrypted. You either say goodbye to all your stuff,recover it from a backup you didn't have connected at the time or you pay the bad guys to unencrypt your files. The bad guys tend to like Bitcoin for payment because its practically untraceable and irreversible. They give it a fortnight before its back up and running again. Its only Windows boxes so the Linux brigade are safe enough.

[plaques]

Pluggy, I'm a bit naive when it comes to computer virus. I use a WD desk top hard drive to do my backing up on but I always have it switched on while the PC is on. The blurb on it gave me the impression that it only woke up when it was asked to do something, ie: not in operation until you asked it. Is your recommendation that I actually unplug it until I need it? There is no on/off switch on the disc unit itself.

[Stanley]

My take on that P is that no back-up is perfect. I have all my data backed up onto an external HD which is always unplugged unless I want to use it. I do a back up at 6 monthly intervals. I'll be doing the next at the end of June.

[Pluggy]

Pluggy, I'm a bit naive when it comes to computer virus. I use a WD desk top hard drive to do my backing up on but I always have it switched on while the PC is on. The blurb on it gave me the impression that it only woke up when it was asked to do something, ie: not in operation until you asked it. Is your recommendation that I actually unplug it until I need it? There is no on/off switch on the disc unit itself.

Most USB drives "go to sleep" when they haven't been accessed for a while but they wake up again as soon as the computer wants it again. The malware will wake it up because it has control of the computer. A disk with a hard switch should be OK if its switched off. The way to do it would be to have 2 backups and swap them over say every week. Statistically, its unlikely to "get" you. Security is more a state of mind than anything, some people who frequent the same sites over and over and don't download stuff from habit won't usually attract malware. I often get called out to customers to remove rubbish when their grandkids have been over and played on the computer. I haven't had a cryptolocker yet. I often see mature computers that are used regularly and are absolutely clean, and unfortunately I also see computers that are less than a week old that are riddled with junk. Its the attitude of the owner more than anything IMO.

One word of advice, if you're still on Windows XP, don't use Internet Explorer. Its become something of a target because its getting old and Microsoft haven't been going out of their way to keep it secure. Its been abandoned altogether since early April this year.

The present version of IE is version 11 which you can have on Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. Vista is stuck at Version 9.

There are still around a quarter of computers (as apposed to phones/tablets) accessing the Internet using XP, Windows 7 has around half, The other quarter are shared among Windows 8/8.1, Vista, Mac and Linux.. All of which are in single figure percentages.

[Pluggy]

Just so the phone/tablet community don't feel left out : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27703318

[Steven Chorkley]

Thanks for that.

Yes - I bought it because it had Windows 7 on it. There didn't seem to be many new ones available with it at the time.

Microsoft offer downgrade rights http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/licensi ... tu_u9moW5g

They have since Vista on Business versions of Windows. But most machines have Home versions, few home users pay the extra for the business version. Lenovo usually ship them with 7 already Imaged on the drive ands give you a set of DVDs to upgrade to 8 if you were so inclined (stupid enough).

I have a Lenovo which I obtained in a "horse trading" deal which had been down graded from Vista Business to XP Pro, I put Vista Back on it with the demise of XP, It dual boots with Ubuntu, but it never sees the Windows half, like another laptop which my wife claimed which dual boots Ubuntu and Windows 8. I fire 8 up sometimes to let it do upgrades...

I have a copy of 7 and XP in VMs on my main Ubuntu Box. Its useful sometimes to be able to run a particular vesion of Windows.

Yes, however they have changed the rules for Windows 8, for every version except RT you are able to downgrade to Windows 7 Professional

[Steven Chorkley]

Liz, Those who run and make money from the digital world often like to tell us how they are increasing our freedom, how liberal they are etc etc but the reality is that they use their digital trickery to limit what we can do and to suit them and their profits.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More trouble...
From Metro, 2nd June 2014
Two weeks to save your computer from major cyber attack
http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/02/two-weeks ... k-4747797/

Drm... however if you manage to avoid it, the digital world isn't so bad.

[Steven Chorkley]

There is something very strange about this latest attempt to frighten us. On each interview I've seen the same expert has responded, and advised us all to go to an organisation called Get Safe Online. They didn't even give the usual caveat "other protection sites are available". The site of course crashed under pressure of demand, but seems to be back on now.

The story seems to be that this very bad Russian man has been pillaging the internet for ages, and making billions of pounds, but the good guys have now stopped him. However they say it will only take two weeks for him to be up to mischief again - so we must go to get safe online.
I've looked at the site briefly, and find that it seems to run by the Government, but in close association with many private companies - including Microsoft. Makes me wonder why they didn't warn us when he was 'at it' , rather than now when they have stopped him.

I have decided not to worry about it at all, and take no action. Mr Gates will keep me safe - and of course, I won't open any attachments on strange emails.

I'm also not so sure about this.... i've read about it, but never been affected. I think they are turning it into something it isn't.

[Steven Chorkley]

Pluggy, I'm a bit naive when it comes to computer virus. I use a WD desk top hard drive to do my backing up on but I always have it switched on while the PC is on. The blurb on it gave me the impression that it only woke up when it was asked to do something, ie: not in operation until you asked it. Is your recommendation that I actually unplug it until I need it? There is no on/off switch on the disc unit itself.

Most USB drives "go to sleep" when they haven't been accessed for a while but they wake up again as soon as the computer wants it again. The malware will wake it up because it has control of the computer. A disk with a hard switch should be OK if its switched off. The way to do it would be to have 2 backups and swap them over say every week. Statistically, its unlikely to "get" you. Security is more a state of mind than anything, some people who frequent the same sites over and over and don't download stuff from habit won't usually attract malware. I often get called out to customers to remove rubbish when their grandkids have been over and played on the computer. I haven't had a cryptolocker yet. I often see mature computers that are used regularly and are absolutely clean, and unfortunately I also see computers that are less than a week old that are riddled with junk. Its the attitude of the owner more than anything IMO.

One word of advice, if you're still on Windows XP, don't use Internet Explorer. Its become something of a target because its getting old and Microsoft haven't been going out of their way to keep it secure. Its been abandoned altogether since early April this year.

The present version of IE is version 11 which you can have on Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. Vista is stuck at Version 9.

There are still around a quarter of computers (as apposed to phones/tablets) accessing the Internet using XP, Windows 7 has around half, The other quarter are shared among Windows 8/8.1, Vista, Mac and Linux.. All of which are in single figure percentages.

Isn't that a little OTT?

And none should use IE, please please use Chrome or Firefox.

[plaques]

Isn't that a little OTT?

I have over 2000 photos on my hard drives, just over two years work. I add about another 20 /30 each week. Last year I updated my computer and backup system purely because the old one started creaking a bit and I couldn't bear the thoughts of trying to replace pictures of buildings that have since been demolished. If people with far more experience than I have say I should be doing X,Y,Z. to be 100% safe then that's what I will do. Nothing is OTT for me.
Thank you Pluggy.

[Steven Chorkley]

Isn't that a little OTT?

I have over 2000 photos on my hard drives, just over two years work. I add about another 20 /30 each week. Last year I updated my computer and backup system purely because the old one started creaking a bit and I couldn't bear the thoughts of trying to replace pictures of buildings that have since been demolished. If people with far more experience than I have say I should be doing X,Y,Z. to be 100% safe then that's what I will do. Nothing is OTT for me.
Thank you Pluggy.

Fair enough! I just use a 1TB drive and back that up with http://www.code42.com/crashplan/

easy enough, however you probably do need a fast connection.

[Stanley]

I agree with P. You can't be OTT about archiving your work. One small point, if your external hard drive hasn't got an on/off switch, simply pull the power plug out of it. It can't be 'woken up' then.... The sky will not fall!

[Pluggy]

Isn't that a little OTT?

And none should use IE, please please use Chrome or Firefox.

Whats OTT ? Two backup hard drives and swapping them around ? Its good practice even without crypto-locker in the equation. Its not like they're expensive.

Are you writing off every version of IE ?. I've no hangups with running the latest. (Even if I'm a Linux nerd and don't run it myself). 10 or 12 years ago before Microsoft discovered security I'd probably have agreed with not running IE. All browsers have had security issues in the past, I don't think the latest IE is generally any worse than the alternatives.

[Stanley]

I agree Pluggy, you can't be too anal about archiving. I have a lot of my stuff in hard copy and on CD apart from my two external HDDs. Ask anyone who has lost stuff what they think! Remember Peter losing the text of his book not long ago?
10:00. Thanks to Canonical for a new OS, 70mb downloaded and installed.... Easy peasy.

[Steven Chorkley]

Isn't that a little OTT?

And none should use IE, please please use Chrome or Firefox.

Whats OTT ? Two backup hard drives and swapping them around ? Its good practice even without crypto-locker in the equation. Its not like they're expensive.

Are you writing off every version of IE ?. I've no hangups with running the latest. (Even if I'm a Linux nerd and don't run it myself). 10 or 12 years ago before Microsoft discovered security I'd probably have agreed with not running IE. All browsers have had security issues in the past, I don't think the latest IE is generally any worse than the alternatives.

Fair enough about Archiving, but it isn't the same anymore. I trust my backups, and i've never actually had to use them. I don't really need to backup a lot of data, maybe just over 100GB's worth the majority of my work is in thick thick folders

And yes, not completely, but you get much better performance with Firefox or Chrome. If someone doesn't want their computer to be messed with, I still install Chrome and the majority say it really does improve performance.

[Steven Chorkley]

Rookie question.... where are your applications installed in Ubuntu?

[Tizer]

A comment on back-ups. Many people fail to do back-ups because they can take a long time for a lot of data...but they forget that much of the data they are backing up is probably out-of-date, unnecessary or just much bigger than it need be (especially images from digital cameras). A bit of good housekeeping can make a big difference! Storing thousands of large images that you never use and then not backing up because it takes too long must be a common mistake.

[Pluggy]

Rookie question.... where are your applications installed in Ubuntu?

/usr/bin for many of them.although as with windows, its not just as simple as that....

[Pluggy]

Yes, however they have changed the rules for Windows 8, for every version except RT you are able to downgrade to Windows 7 Professional

Link ?

Everything I've read says Pro only. I can't honestly see Microsoft allowing you to down(up)grade a cheap home OS to a much more expensive Pro version. It would be a very cheap way of getting machines you can marry to a Domain.

Win 8.1 -.£72.99 : http://www.businessdirect.bt.com/produc ... -90QL.html

Win 7 Pro - £103.15 : http://www.businessdirect.bt.com/produc ... -955Q.html

Win 8.1 Pro £109.99 : http://www.businessdirect.bt.com/produc ... -90QH.html